Google has been fined €890m (£760m) by the European Commission for breaching the Digital Markets Act, the EU's landmark competition law targeting large tech "gatekeepers". The commission found that Google unfairly prioritised its own services, such as shopping and hotel deals, in search results over rival offerings, and separately blocked app developers from directing users to cheaper deals on outside websites or alternative app stores. The ruling matters because it forces changes that could reshape how European consumers use Google's search engine and shop for apps.

Google was fined €460m for the search-related breach and €430m for the app store violation, and has been ordered to treat rival services fairly in search results while allowing app developers to advertise offers outside its own store. The commission noted Google had already begun testing changes to how it displays results for services like shopping and flights, calling this "substantial progress" towards compliance. The timing is notable, landing hours before a set of temporary US global tariffs was due to expire, though an EU official denied any link to the fine and defended the bloc's "sovereign right" to regulate US tech firms. Google can appeal the decision and seek interim measures, including a suspension of the order.